SpongeBob SquarePants (season 3)
| country = United States | network = Nickelodeon | first_aired = October 5, 2001 | last_aired = October 11, 2004 | prev_season = Season 2 | next_season = Season 4 | episode_list = List of SpongeBob SquarePants episodes }} The third season of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, created by Stephen Hillenburg, aired on Nickelodeon from October 5, 2001 to October 11, 2004, and consists of 20 episodes (37 segments). The series chronicles the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom. The season was executive produced by series creator Hillenburg, who also acted as the showrunner. Hillenburg halted production on the show to work on the 2004 film adaptation of the series, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. After production on the film, Hillenburg resigned from the show as its showrunner, and appointed staff writer Paul Tibbitt to overtake the position. Season 3 was originally set to end the series after the release of the film, but the success prevented the series from ending, leading to a fourth season. The season received critical acclaim from media critics and fans. During its run, SpongeBob SquarePants became (and remains) the highest rated children's show on cable, with over 50 million viewers a month. The show received several recognitions, including its nomination at the Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Children's Program. The episodes "New Student Starfish" and "Clams" were nominated for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour) category, while the entry "SpongeBob B.C. (Ugh)" won the same category. The season was also the first time the show received a nomination at the Kids' Choice Awards and won. It won the 2003 Kids' Choice Awards for Favorite Cartoon, and also won the following year's Kids' Choice Award for the same category. Celebrities—including Justin Timberlake, Kelly Osbourne, Britney Spears, Bruce Willis, Noel Gallagher, rapper Dr. Dre, and Mike Myers—have been reported to be fans of the show. Several compilation DVDs that contained episodes from the season were released. The SpongeBob SquarePants: The Complete 3rd Season DVD was released in Region 1 on September 27, 2005, Region 2 on December 3, 2007, and Region 4 on November 8, 2007. Production The season aired on Nickelodeon, which is owned by Viacom, and was produced by United Plankton Pictures and Nickelodeon. The season's executive producer was series creator Stephen Hillenburg, who also functioned as the showrunner. During production of the previous season, Nickelodeon already picked up a third season for SpongeBob SquarePants on September 20, 2000, due to the show's high ratings across basic cable television. It premiered more than a year later, on October 5, 2001. In 2002, Hillenburg and the show's staff members decided to stop making episodes to work on the 2004 film The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, after completing production of the third season. As a result, the show went into a "self-imposed" two-year hiatus on television. During the break, Nickelodeon expanded the programming for the third season to cover the delay, however, according to Nickelodeon executive Eric Coleman, "there certainly was a delay and a built-up demand." Nickelodeon announced nine "as-yet-unaired" (full) episodes would be shown. "The Sponge Who Could Fly" first aired during a two-hour "Sponge"-a-thon, while the other eight were broadcast subsequently. Once the film was completed, Hillenburg wanted to end the series "so the show wouldn't jump the shark," but Nickelodeon wanted to do more episodes. Hillenburg said "Well, there was concern when we did the movie 2004 that the show had peaked. There were concerns among executives at Nickelodeon." Hillenburg resigned as the series' showrunner, and appointed Paul Tibbitt, who previously served as the show's supervising producer, writer, director, and storyboard artist, to overtake the role. Hillenburg considered Tibbitt one of his favorite members of the show's crew, and "totally trusted him." Tibbitt still holds the showrunner position and also functions as an executive producer. Hillenburg no longer wrote or ran the show on a day-to-day basis, but reviewed each episode and delivered suggestions. He said "I figure when I'm pretty old I can still paint... I don't know about running shows." Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, and the rest of the crew confirmed they had completed four new episodes for broadcast on Nickelodeon in early 2005, and planned to finish about 20 total for the then-fourth season. Animation was handled overseas in South Korea at Rough Draft Studios. Animation directors credited with episodes in the third season included Sean Dempsey, Andrew Overtoom, Frank Weiss, and Tom Yasumi. Episodes were written by a team of writers, which consisted of Walt Dohrn, C.H. Greenblatt, Sam Henderson, Kaz, Jay Lender, Joe Liss (The Great Snail Race only), Mark O'Hare, Kent Osborne, Aaron Springer, Paul Tibbitt, and Merriwether Williams. The season was storyboarded by Zeus Cervas, Dohrn, Greenblatt, Henderson, Kaz, Chuck Klein, Carson Kugler, Lender, Heather Martinez, Caleb Meurer, O'Hare, Osborne, Dan Povenmire, William Reiss, Mike Roth, Springer, Tibbitt, and Wiese. Cast , the lead vocalist of the Cramps, voiced the lead singer of the Bird Brains in "Party Pooper Pants".]] The third season featured Tom Kenny as the voice of the title character SpongeBob SquarePants and his pet snail Gary. SpongeBob's best friend, a starfish named Patrick Star, was voiced by Bill Fagerbakke, while Rodger Bumpass played the voice of Squidward Tentacles, an arrogant and ill-tempered octopus. Other members of the cast were Clancy Brown as Mr. Krabs, a miserly crab obsessed with money and SpongeBob's boss at the Krusty Krab; Mr. Lawrence as Plankton, a small green copepod and Mr. Krabs' business rival; Jill Talley as Karen, Plankton's sentient computer sidekick; Carolyn Lawrence as Sandy Cheeks, a squirrel from Texas; Mary Jo Catlett as Mrs. Puff, SpongeBob's boating school teacher; and Lori Alan as Pearl, a teenage whale who is Mr. Krabs' daughter. In addition to the regular cast members, episodes feature guest voices from many ranges of professions, including actors and musicians. Former McHale's Navy actors Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway returned in the episode "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy IV", reprising their roles as Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, respectively. Borgnine and Conway reappeared in the episode "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy V", which was also guest starred by John Rhys-Davies as Man Ray, and Martin Olson as the Chief. Brian Doyle-Murray reprised his role as the Flying Dutchman for "Born Again Krabs". Radio disc jockey Rodney Bingenheimer guest starred in the episode "Krab Borg" as the DJ. In "Party Pooper Pants", American rock band the Cramps lead vocalist Lux Interior performed the voice of the lead singer of the all-bird rock band called the Bird Brains. Kevin Michael Richardson also appeared in the live action segments of the episode as King Neptune. Various other characters were voiced by Dee Bradley Baker, Steve Kehela, Frank Welker, and Thomas F. Wilson. Note: Click on the various characters under "Guest Stars" to reveal a character's voice actor or actress. Reception During its third season, SpongeBob SquarePants passed Rugrats and earned the title of being the highest rated children's show on cable, with a 6.7 rating and 2.2 million kids 2 to 11 in the second quarter of 2002, up 22% over 2001. Forbes called the show "a $1 billion honeypot," and said the show is "almost single-handedly responsible for making Viacom's Nickelodeon the most-watched cable channel during the day and the second most popular during prime time." It was also reported that of the 50 million viewers who watch it every month, 20 million are adults. The season was critically acclaimed by media critics and fans. In 2002, the show itself was nominated at the Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Children's Program. Its episodes "New Student Starfish" and "Clams" were nominated for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour) category, while the entry "Ugh" won the same category. The show also won the Television Critics Association Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming. The season was also the first time the show received a nomination at the Kids' Choice Awards and won. In 2003, the show won the 2003 Kids' Choice Awards for Favorite Cartoon, and also won the succeeding year's Kids' Choice Award for the same category. At the 2003 Golden Reel Awards, the show won Best Sound Editing in Television Animation and Best Sound Editing in Television Animation — Music categories for the episodes "Nasty Patty"/"Idiot Box" and "Wet Painters"/"Krusty Krab Training Video", respectively. The episodes "The Great Snail Race" and "Mid-Life Crustacean" won at the 2004 Golden Reel Awards for "Best Sound Editing in Television Animation — Music", while the episode "Mid-Life Crustacean" itself received a nomination for "Best Sound Editing in Television Animation". In his review for the DVD Verdict, Bryan Pope wrote that "the show's charm lies in the vast world of nautical nonsense" and that the show is "a world of aquanaut squirrels, clarinet-playing squids, underwater campfires, retired superheroes, plankton obsessed with world domination, and the most head-scratching family units I've ever come across (a crab and a puffer fish are parents to a teenage whale, while pint-sized Plankton is married to a no-nonsense computer named Karen)." Pope pointed out that the season "remains the high point for the series" as it had produced "classic" episodes such as "No Weenies Allowed", "SpongeBob Meets the Strangler", and "Krusty Krab Training Video". However, Pope described "The Lost Episode" as a "misstep" that "veers too far away from Bikini Bottom and into unfunny live-action territory." Furthermore, various celebrities—including Justin Timberlake, Kelly Osbourne, Britney Spears, Bruce Willis, Noel Gallagher, rapper Dr. Dre, and Mike Myers—were reported to be fans of the show. American actor Rob Lowe said, "You've got to love a sponge in tightie whities." In 2002, fans of the show formed a "new religion"—the Church of SpongeBob SquarePants. The organization has more than 700 members. Its manifesto said it wanted to push "simple things like having fun and using your imagination", and even offered study courses on the show. A Nickelodeon spokesman said "SpongeBob's appeal is extraordinary." The popularity of SpongeBob translated well into sales figures. In 2002, SpongeBob SquarePants dolls sold at a rate of 75,000 per week, which was faster than Tickle Me Elmo dolls were selling at the time. SpongeBob has gained popularity in Japan, specifically with Japanese women. Nickelodeon's parent company Viacom purposefully targeted marketing at women in the country as a method of the SpongeBob SquarePants brand. Skeptics initially doubted that SpongeBob could be popular in Japan as the character's design is very different from already popular designs for Hello Kitty and Pikachu. Nickelodeon also expanded the merchandising of the show, bringing it around $500 million revenue. It was reported that SpongeBob-themed goods are the best-selling character merchandise at Hot Topic store at Park City Center. T-shirts, pillows, shoelaces, pins, sunglasses, and air fresheners were sold "extremely well if they have SpongeBob's likeness on them," said Erin Aguirre, lead sales associate of Hot Topic. He added "Customers come in and they just jump right into it. "Did you see last week's episode?' They totally talk all about it, just that it's funny, that it's hilarious." Moreover, the gay community had embraced the show, according to BBC Online. The Wall Street Journal also raised questions about SpongeBob and Patrick in a recent article that pointed up the show's popularity in the gay community. Tom Kenny, in response to the article, said "I felt the insinuation was a stretch." Kenny said "I had heard that gay viewers enjoy the show in the same way that lots of people—college students, parents and children—like the show... I thought it was rather silly to hang an entire article on that. I don't think it's a case of it being a gay-friendly show—It's a human-being-friendly show. They're all welcome." Hillenburg responded about the character's sexual orientation and stated that he is "a cheerful character but is not gay." He clarified that he considers the character to be "almost asexual". The show's popularity among gay men would become controversial. In 2005, a promotional video, which showed SpongeBob along with other characters from children's shows singing together to promote diversity and tolerance, was attacked by an evangelical group in the United States because they saw SpongeBob being used as an "advocate for homosexuality". James Dobson of Focus on the Family accused the makers of the video of "promoting homosexuality due to a pro-tolerance group sponsoring the video". After Dobson made the comments, Hillenburg repeated this assertion that sexual preference was never considered during the creation of the show. Tom Kenny and other production members were shocked and surprised that such an issue had arisen. Dobson later asserted that his comments were taken out of context and that his original complaints were not with SpongeBob, the video, or any of the characters in the video but with the organization that sponsored the video, We Are Family Foundation. Dobson indicated that the We Are Family Foundation posted pro-homosexual material on their website, but later removed it. Episodes The episodes are ordered below by production number and not their original broadcast order. |airdateR= |episodes= | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-188 | ShortSummary = Plankton is still yearning for the Krabby Patty secret formula, so as a wish of him disliking his normal and dull life, he changes lives with Krabs. When he finds himself at the Krusty Krab as "Mr. Plankton", he has to constantly fulfill his tasks as the manager of the restaurant. Plankton soon discovers that Krabs's life has many disadvantages, including trying to run the Krusty Krab. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-187 | ShortSummary = At the Goo Lagoon beach, SpongeBob wishes he was a lifeguard after seeing lifeguard Larry the Lobster adored by the beachgoers. Larry then offers him to be a lifeguard and SpongeBob becomes very popular in the beach. When Larry asks SpongeBob to take over for the day and leaves him, SpongeBob finds the hardships of being a lifeguard, especially since he can't swim. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-192 | ShortSummary = SpongeBob and Patrick build a small treehouse, and an irritated Squidward wants to join after getting enraged by the two. When they all try to squeeze inside, the house gets launched deep into the Kelp Forest, and try to use a novelty toy, the "Magic Conch Shell" (voiced by Sirena Irwin), to find their way home. Squidward does not believe that the toy has special powers and tries to find on his own a way out. When every time he fails, SpongeBob and Patrick are rewarded with a full buffet that falls out of a descending airplane. Squidward wants the food, but this fails every time when the toy refuses to allow Squidward to have the food. A park ranger comes and the gang believes they're saved, but Squidward is shocked when the ranger praises the same novelty toy. Squidward eventually gives in and praises the toy and waits for its advice to occur. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-193 | ShortSummary = SpongeBob finds and adopts a seahorse, and names her Mystery. They become close friends, and when Mystery follows him to work at the Krusty Krab, Mr. Krabs orders SpongeBob to get rid of his pet after causing trouble for the customers. Instead of sending her away, SpongeBob hides Mystery in a cupboard in the kitchen. Mystery still causes chaos and after he tells them a story of his early life with a dollar, Mr. Krabs advises SpongeBob to release Mystery into the wild. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-194 | ShortSummary = When SpongeBob learns that Squidward has never tasted a Krabby Patty, it becomes his obsession to get his co-worker to take even just a bite, believing that it is the reason why he is "always so miserable". After several attempts of making him taste the sandwich, Squidward finally gives up and tries the patty. He pretends to hate it at first, but actually likes it. Squidward gets obsessed and desperate for more (despite SpongeBob's protests that Squidward should not eat too many Krabby Patties at one time), and as a result blows up after eating thousands of Krabby Patty sandwiches in a vault full of them. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-191 | ShortSummary = SpongeBob gets terrified when a new student named Flatts the Flounder, who attends Mrs. Puff's Boating School, threatens him of kicking his butt. SpongeBob desperately seeks for help, but Flatts eventually corners SpongeBob and beats him up. However, SpongeBob's resilient body absorbs the blows, and yet he remains unharmed. Flatts continues to hit SpongeBob, until he finally faints from exhaustion before Mrs. Puff begins to beat SpongeBob up, as she mistook SpongeBob when she witnessed him punching Flatts in the face. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-195 | ShortSummary = A health inspector comes to the Krusty Krab unannounced. Mr. Krabs and SpongeBob have to give one of everything on the menu to the inspector so he can pass the inspection. After hearing a news report of a stranger passing himself off as a health inspector to obtain free food, Mr. Krabs believes that the inspector at the restaurant is the impostor. Mr. Krabs and SpongeBob formulate a "nasty patty" for the inspector and serve it to him. As SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs watch him suffer from the kitchen, another report comes and reveals that he is not the impostor. They believe that the patty killed him, and begin to panic. Mr. Krabs and SpongeBob decide to take the body and bury it, as two police officers investigate. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-178 | ShortSummary = SpongeBob and Patrick order a giant television just to play in its box. Squidward gets to have the television, and while he is watching it he hears noises and looks outside. Patrick and SpongeBob are found in the box playing with their imaginations. Squidward hears more noises and suspects they have something in the box that creates the noises. Squidward finally sneaks out at night and finds the true powers of his imagination. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-177 | ShortSummary = Mermaid Man accidentally leaves his utility belt at the Krusty Krab. SpongeBob tries to return it to him, but it becomes too late. SpongeBob keeps the belt and gets into all kinds of mischief with it, accidentally shrinking all of Bikini Bottom, after he accidentally shrunk Squidward. Guest appearances: Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway as Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-186 | ShortSummary = During a routine boating exam, SpongeBob gets into an accident at the Shady Shoals Rest Home. Mrs. Puff, being the driving instructor, is responsible for the accident and is taken into custody. In prison, Mrs. Puff starts to value her time at the Bikini Bottom Jail, being away from everyday complications in her life, including teaching at Mrs. Puff's Boating School, but gets feared when a guilt-ridden SpongeBob tries to make her escape. Then, Mrs. Puff, after being at the Bikini Bottom Jail for a short time, goes through repeated cycles of the accident and realizes it's possibly her imagination. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-189 | ShortSummary = A snowstorm hits Bikini Bottom after a glacier settles above the city. For SpongeBob and Patrick, it means snowball fights. They go out in the snow and play, while Squidward complains about the racket. When SpongeBob and Patrick decide to have a snowball war, Squidward is dismayed when they call a truce, so he tries to restart the war. When demonstrating, he accidentally declares war on SpongeBob and Patrick, and takes it too far when building his fort. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-184 | ShortSummary = Mr. Krabs has a yard sale that is made up of garbage, but finds himself frantically pursuing an off-handed sale to SpongeBob that could be possibly worth a fortune. He tries to get it back from SpongeBob so he can get the fortune, but finds it is worth nothing in the end. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-172 | ShortSummary = SpongeBob makes a very short cameo in the first Krusty Krab's commercial in which he is barely visible in all scenes. SpongeBob lets his supposed fame go to his head when an elderly man recognizes him. SpongeBob feels he does not need his job at the Krusty Krab anymore, so he gives up fry cooking believing that he is a big famous celebrity, even though he really is not. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-190 | ShortSummary = Mr. Krabs loses his first dime earned and accuses Squidward of stealing it on the barest evidence. Squidward gets fed up with his employer's cheapness and insults, so he quits his job thinking he will find another one easily. He falls upon hardships and spends all his savings. He is forced to turn to SpongeBob, who he takes great advantage of. SpongeBob gets tired of doing everything for Squidward and must get him his job back at the Krusty Krab. In the end, after eventually finding the dime (which turns out to be huge), Mr. Krabs rehires Squidward but then accuses him of misplacing his dime, again on the barest evidence. Having started another argument, SpongeBob puts on his maid uniform Squidward ordered him to wear before, anticipating the inevitable. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-200 | ShortSummary = SpongeBob and Sandy come across the Salty Spitoon, the toughest club in the city, after a karate duel at the beach. Sandy makes it through the bouncer, but SpongeBob does not. He has to prove to the bouncer that he is tough enough. After several attempts, with help from Patrick, he gets inside, but gets injured. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-199 | ShortSummary = Squidward's rival, Squilliam Fancyson, has returned to torment Squidward on his failures since high school. He lies and tells that he actually owns a restaurant to impress Squilliam. He turns the Krusty Krab into a five-star restaurant after convincing Mr. Krabs to let him run it. However, things do not go well as Squidward planned. To make matters worse, SpongeBob loses his memory and goes in a wild amnesia. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-197 | ShortSummary = SpongeBob stays late one night to watch a horror film, where robots take over the world. He becomes paranoid after the film and, at work, he thinks Mr. Krabs is actually a robot. He convinces Squidward to help him, and they soon think that robots really have taken over the world. Guest appearance: Rodney Bingenheimer as DJ. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-203 | ShortSummary = Patrick and SpongeBob find an abandoned baby scallop, and they decide to adopt and pamper it. SpongeBob takes the role of a mother and Patrick as the father who goes to work all day. The two friends soon find parenting not easy. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-202 | ShortSummary = SpongeBob and Patrick are causing chaos at the Krusty Krab, so Mr. Krabs decides to give them a task. He tells them to paint the living room of his house. After successfully painting the room, they accidentally get paint all over Mr. Krabs' first earned dollar and must hide up the evidence before Mr. Krabs returns home. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-198 | ShortSummary = A training narration of the Krusty Krab, demonstrating what an aspiring employee must do at work at the Krusty Krab. Note: At the end of the original broadcast (and during reruns), the 1998 Klasky Csupo logo was accidentally shown instead of the United Plankton Pictures logo due to an editing error. The mistake was fixed in 2006. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-204 | ShortSummary = SpongeBob gets a "plan-your-own-party" kit while grocery shopping. He decides to throw a party and invite everyone he knows. Unfortunately for his guests, SpongeBob plans everything, taking all the fun from his party. When he gets accidentally locked outside, the real party begins, but SpongeBob freaks out thinking that his plan is not being followed. He then gets arrested for not inviting the police officers to his party. Guest appearance: Lux Interior as lead Bird Brain. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-196 | ShortSummary = After accidentally getting Squidward's Fancy Living Digest magazine in the mail, SpongeBob and Patrick want to live "fancy" as well. They decide to sell chocolate bars door-to-door to everyone in Bikini Bottom. Their chocolate bars become a success after they start lying claiming that the chocolate saves lives. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-219 | ShortSummary = While at the Krusty Krab, the two superheroes of Bikini Bottom, Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, argue because Barnacle Boy feels he should not be considered a child sidekick anymore and, therefore, wants to eat an adult-sized Krabby Patty rather than a kid's meal. He wants to be called "Barnacle Man" and everyone laughs at his protests, so he decides to team up with Man Ray and the Dirty Bubble. They cause chaos all over Bikini Bottom that alarms Mermaid Man. It stimulates him to call a league of heroes to stop Barnacle Boy. Eventually, Mermaid Man reaches an armistice with Barnacle Boy and Barnacle Boy returns back to the good side. Guest appearances: Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway as Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-201 | ShortSummary = Patrick accompanies SpongeBob to boating school. During class, however, Patrick gets SpongeBob in big trouble with Mrs. Puff and Patrick gets SpongeBob moved to the back of the classroom and costs him one of his "good noodle" stars. Later on the two get in a fight in the halls and get detention. The two eventually bring their friendship back together by saving the class science project, Roger, an egg before Mrs. Puff congratulates them for saving Roger after seeing the entire thing. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-207 | ShortSummary = Mr. Krabs earns his millionth dollar, and rewards SpongeBob and Squidward by taking them clam fishing for the weekend. Mr. Krabs loses his dollar after an overeager SpongeBob accidentally hooks it with his fishing line and throws it out into the water. A giant clam eats it and Mr. Krabs will not rest until he gets it returned, leaving his two employees stranded. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-208 | ShortSummary = Prehistoric ancestors of SpongeBob, Patrick and Squidward—SpongeGar, Patar, and Squog (respectively)—discover fire after a lightning bolt strikes a piece of wood and sets it ablaze. The gang eventually find the numerous uses of fire. After gorging themselves, a battle for who should control and keep the fire ensues. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} Merriwether Williams (DVD)|ex2label=Storyboarded by|ex2=Paul Tibbitt and Kent Osborne (directors), Chuck Klein, Carson Kugler, Caleb Meurer, & William Reiss}} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-216 | ShortSummary = SpongeBob and Patrick discover that Squidward has ordered a female purebred racing snail named Snellie, whom he plans to enter in a snail race. After getting insulted by Squidward, SpongeBob becomes competitive and enters his own pet snail, Gary, coaching him to the point of exhaustion. At the race, Gary collapses, and Snellie comes to his aid. The two fell in love, while the race is won by Patrick's rock "pet", Rocky. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-210 | ShortSummary = Mr. Krabs realizes that he is becoming old and has hit his midlife crisis. He overhears SpongeBob and Patrick hyping up a night out that they are planning, and figures that it would be a good way to get hip and feel youthful again. Mr. Krabs gets to tag along with SpongeBob and Patrick. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-213 | ShortSummary = Mr. Krabs keeps a rotten Krabby Patty to save little money. To demonstrate it is still good, Mr. Krabs tries it and ends up hospitalized for food poisoning. Mr. Krabs bargains with the Flying Dutchman for his soul, leading him to second-guess his cheap and miserly ways. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-214 | ShortSummary = SpongeBob shatters his buttocks in a sandboarding injury. He soon becomes paranoid of everything and confines himself to his own home with inanimate objects for friends. Sandy and Patrick try everything to come him out, but find they must resort to trickery to succeed. Patrick dresses as a gorilla and someone who looks like him comes up, it turns out to be a real gorilla and puts Patrick and Sandy in a bag forcing SpongeBob to help them. Guest appearances: Frank Welker as Gorilla and André Sogliuzzo as George the Zebra (cameo appearance) | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-212 | ShortSummary = The first day of summer, Mr. Krabs attempts to attract children (and their money) by turning the Krusty Krab into a child-friendly amusement park. He takes a pile of junk and assembles a playground. He also promises them that Krabby the Clown will appear to entertain them if they will spend their money to play and eat Krabby Patties. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-215 | ShortSummary = SpongeBob and Patrick go camping in their yards. Annoyed, Squidward tells them to be quiet, but gets challenged and sets up camp with them. They stay late at night, and a sea bear comes and viciously attacks Squidward. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-209 | ShortSummary = On a rainy day in a diner, SpongeBob recounts a recent tale in which he lost his identity. Turns out, SpongeBob wore his shirt backwards while his work nametag was on the frontside. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-211 | ShortSummary = At the 25th anniversary of Plankton's first attempt to steal the Krabby Patty secret formula, the entire Krusty Krab crew becomes alert. Plankton decides to enlist the help of all of his plankton relatives. Plankton successfully steals the formula, with his family's help, but is frightened after discovering the key ingredient; Plankton. This revelation causes Plankton and his family to flee in terror. However, Mr. Krabs reveals that the formula is a fake to trick Plankton. Note: Advertisements referred to this episode as Plankton's Revenge. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = This episode was first released on the Lost at Sea DVD on March 4, 2003. | ProdCode = 5572-217 | ShortSummary = While at the Jellyfish Fields, SpongeBob realizes that he wants to fly among with the jellyfish. He proceeds to come up with numerous ways to fly. While at home, his hair dryer inflates his trousers, giving him the ability to fly. He goes around helping people, earning their admiration and becoming a superhero of sorts. SpongeBob grows tired of helping people with their trivial needs and attempts to fly with the jellyfish, but the townspeople chase after him. The chase ends when Old Man Jenkins (who's had a string of bad luck because of SpongeBob's flying adventures during the whole episode) launches from a cannon and hits SpongeBob, tearing up his pants. SpongeBob however is flown home by the jellyfish. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-221 | ShortSummary = SpongeBob catches a stranger littering and turns him in to the police. It is revealed that it is the "Tattle-tale Strangler", a criminal who promises to strangle anyone who reports on him and his crimes. The Strangler escapes custody, so SpongeBob finds a bodyguard to protect him. The Strangler disguises himself as SpongeBob's bodyguard, all along seeking for a moment to strangle him. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} | OriginalAirDate = | ProdCode = 5572-218 | ShortSummary = SpongeBob takes Patrick to his favorite prank store where they purchase the latest prank item, the "Invisible Spray". Using the spray, the two become invisible and go on a major pranking spree across Bikini Bottom, scaring everyone in town as ghosts. At the Krusty Krab, Mr. Krabs catches the duo out and the prank is on them. Note: This was the final episode to air before the American release of The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. | LineColor = 01A8CA }} }} DVD release The DVD boxset for season three was released by Paramount Home Entertainment and Nickelodeon in the United States and Canada on September 27, 2005, almost a year after the season had completed broadcast on television. The DVD release features bonus materials including the pilot episode "Help Wanted" and featurettes. Notes References ;Bibliography * External links *Season 3 at TV.com *Season 3 at Metacritic Category:2001 American television seasons Category:2002 American television seasons Category:2003 American television seasons Category:2004 American television seasons Category:SpongeBob SquarePants seasons